MarComm’s Legend Series: Michael Conrad

MarComm News’ Legend Series is designed to show a different side of some of the ‘best of the best’ (our legends) personalities of the Marketing and Communications world. These people really don’t need an introduction and we’re sure most people in the industry know their career highlights and stories already!

A) We don’t have a pet but a pet has us. Probably no human being touched him. He sleeps in a house we built for him. When he decides to show up for breakfast, lunch or dinner we deliver. We keep on working on closing our distance gap but so far we get some severe hissing for an answer. Since four years. We named him “Fauchi”.

Q) How do you relieve stress, if any?

A) Grab the guitar for a while or do something stress free.

Q) With what regularity do you exercise?

A) With the regularity of my wife’s call.

Q) What personal habit has had the most impact on your life?

A) Acting spontaneously.

Q) What is the most positive, life altering moment you have ever had?

A) Escaping from the German Democratic Republic in 1952.

Q) What inspires or drives you the most?

A) Comments on ideas like “will not work, can’t be done”.

Q) Three things that people don’t know about you?

A) I cook without any oven. I talk to trees. And the third thing I don’t know about myself too.

Q) Best advice you have ever received?

A) There is a difference between writing, talking and doing.

Q) What’s your favourite meal?

A) My “Shovel Dinner” – lamb legs simmered in the ground.

Q) What’s the best part of your day?

A) Dream-time.

Q) If you were not in this Industry, what would you be?

A) Salesman.

Q) What’s your favourite genre in film? What is your favourite film?

A) I don’t have a favourite genre in film. From comedy to documentary, the film matters. What about “Twelve Angry Men”, shot in 21 days on a shoestring budget of $350,000… provoking the Hollywood machinery?

Q) The favourite project created by you?

A) I can’t think of a project that was ever created by “me”. Projects were always created by “us”. One favourite: The Berlin School – probably the most complex, most influential and most rewarding of all.